Trainer: Angela Bester
Level: Basic/Intermediate
Language: English
Workshop content
Sub-national governments have an important role to play in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals:
1. Local governments are responsible for planning and implementation of a range of services, and the effectiveness of local governments in performing these functions have a direct impact on the quality of life of people living and working within the boundaries of municipalities.
2. Local governments are well-placed to provide insights on how national development plans land at local level, and feed back learning to national level for policy and programme adjustments. They are key to leaving no one behind.
Monitoring & evaluation can benefit local government in several ways including:
Helping to set realistic delivery targets based on accurate information
Reporting on programme delivery to citizens, other government structures and stakeholders
Learning what works and what does not and how programmes can be improved
Improving local governance by fostering transparency and accountability
Insufficient attention has been paid the developing monitoring and evaluation capacities in local government.
This workshop is targeted at government officials in sub-national governments, in particular local government. National government officials responsible for supporting sub-national governments in evaluation. The workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to explore and reflect on the current state of monitoring and evaluation in local governments, focusing on local government, and how the existing monitoring and evaluation system (including capacities) can be strengthened.
Upon successful completion of the workshop:
Participants will have an appreciation for the benefits of monitoring and evaluation system in local government.
Participant will be able to conduct a capacity assessment of monitoring and evaluation capacity of local government.
Participants will be able to identify strategies for institutionalising and strengthening local government monitoring and evaluation.
Workshop draft agenda
Introduction and welcome
Session 1: Monitoring & evaluation in local government. Why it matters.
The facilitator will make a presentation on the relevance of monitoring and evaluation for local government, and attempt to make the link with the SDGs. While SDG 11 is specifically focused on urban local government (cities), all SDGs are relevant for local government. Talk briefly about localising the SDGs and the need for effective monitoring and evaluation at local government level. The facilitator will emphasise the importance of linking local level M&E systems with national level M&E systems, and the role that national ministries that play in supporting local governments to develop their monitoring and evaluation capacities. The presentation wlll be followed by a facilitated discussion, asking participants to share their views/experiences about the state of monitoring and evaluation at sub-national level (focusing on local government).
Session 2: Conducting M&E capacity assessment
Participants will be given a basic capacity assessment tool that they can adapt/expand to suit the country context. First exercise is to apply the tool and modify it in the process. Each group will be asked to do an assessment of one sub-national/local government entity (participants can decide which one they will do). Depending on the number of workshop participants, there should be no more than 8 participants per group.
Once they have completed the exercise, they must present their assessment to rest. The feedback will be on:
The applicability of the tool and modifications they made
The outcome of the capacity assessment
Reflections on the assessment process.
Session 3: Strategies for strengthening capacities
Presentation and discussion on strategies for institutionalising and strengthening monitoring & evaluation in local government. (use case studies)
Group work: Using the assessment outcomes, each group will be asked to identify strategies that are relevant for addressing the gaps identified. Groups will report back and present their strategies.
Session 4: Reflections on learning
Facilitated discussion reflecting on the learning day. Ask each participant to note three things they learned from the day (stick on cards around the room) Pick up themes. Etc.